The government has officially designated the Old Bogambara Prison premises as a prison.

The declaration has been made through a gazette notification issued by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara.

The notification, issued under Section 2 of the Prisons Ordinance (Chapter 54), states that the Justice Minister has exercised the powers vested in him to establish a prison at the location specified in the Schedule, namely the Old Bogambara premises.

Accordingly, the Old Bogambara prison premises will function as a prison for the purposes of the Prisons Ordinance.

The gazette notification was issued under the authority granted to the Minister by Section 2 of the Prisons Ordinance.

Meanwhile, the government has also decided to establish a new prison in the Mahamodara area of Galle.

The gazette notification in this regard was also issued by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara.

According to the gazette notification, the facility will be established as the “Mahamodara Prison”, with its jurisdiction covering the entire country.

When inquired by Ada Derana, a spokesman at the Ministry of Justice stated that the new prison is expected to operate on a temporary basis in a section of the closed Mahamodara Hospital premises.